


Pride & Prejudice: A Retelling

by winterwaters



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Flipped, Fluff, Original Character(s), Romance, Story Retelling, what did I do
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-31
Updated: 2013-08-30
Packaged: 2017-12-25 04:16:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/948521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterwaters/pseuds/winterwaters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a husband. </em>
</p>
<p>Pride & Prejudice with some of our ASoIaF characters and some originals, twisted and tweaked with some liberties taken as needed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pride & Prejudice: A Retelling

**Author's Note:**

> This is not a strict retelling by any means, and will follow the movie more closely than anything else (because I may be a bit obsessed). Hopefully it's still entertaining and a fun read :)

_It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a husband._

Gendry wandered back into the orphanage only to see his ‘brothers’ crowding the hallway. Ned and Jack had their ears pressed against a cracked door.

“What are you lot up to?”

He grinned when they all shushed him immediately. Even the eldest, Jon, was standing against the wall in amusement, and now he leaned over to whisper to Gendry.

“Apparently Riverrun has just been taken by a young woman from the North. She came down a few days back and was immediately smitten with the place.”

Gendry’s eyebrows rose. “What’s her name?”

“All I could hear was Stark.” 

“Sansa Stark,” Ned replied, without turning from the door. 

They all shut up then as Davos got up from the chair with a sigh. “What does this have to do with our boys?”

“Davos, don’t be so tiresome,” Marianne pleaded. “You _know_ she must marry one of them.”

“What would you have me do?” He asked in Marianne exasperation. Gendry grinned to himself, hearing a note of amusement in the older man’s voice.

“I would have you go speak to her!” Marianne replied urgently.

Suddenly the door opened, and the boys jumped back in surprise. Davos merely arched an eyebrow before passing by with a grin, and Gendry laughed when they all followed him eagerly.

“Please, Davos, you must,” Ned called out. 

Jack, ever wanting to imitate him, added his own plea. “Yes, you must!”

“If you will not go then I will,” Marianne threatened, and Davos finally turned around, having reached the sitting room. 

“There’s no need for that. I already have.”

Marianne made a noise of outrage, and Gendry struggled to keep a straight face. 

“Is it true?” Ned asked. “Will she be at the ball this weekend, ser?”

Davos placed a book back on the shelf. “I believe she will.”

“Sir, how you tease me so,” Marianne scolded. “Have you no compassion for my poor nerves?”

“On the contrary, I have the deepest respect for them. They have been my constant companion for so many years.”

Jon snorted behind him, and Gendry felt a chuckle escape as well as Marianne pattered around the room, tittering about the clothes they would need pressed and altered, and where was her dress and Davos certainly would have to accompany them. 

The older man winked at Gendry before settling into his chair with a sigh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Upstairs, Gendry laid down on his makeshift cot in the room he shared with Jon. There were nobles coming by nearly every day, but it wasn’t often that a highborn young lady passed through their neck of the woods. He wasn’t exactly fond of nobles, though it wasn’t as if he had much of a choice in the matter. Either way, it would be them who held his ticket to a better life – as Marianne never ceased to remind him.

The door opened and Jon entered, his face drawn in thought as he flopped down on his own cot.

“What’s the matter?”

“Just wondering if this one will be any different.” He was talking about the girl.

If there was anyone who wanted to get out more than Gendry, it was Jon. They’d both been at the orphanage the longest, arriving within days of each other at a young age. As far as Gendry was concerned, Jon was the elder brother he hadn’t known he wanted. 

“Dunno,” Gendry replied. “But we haven’t seen many Northern girls. Maybe they aren’t like the others.”

Though neither of them really believed it, both boys let his statement hang in the air. Faint as it was, the hope was all they had.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The only reason Gendry liked the balls was because he’d never seen so many people so happy all at once. It seemed as if the whole town turned out to crowd into one great big hall for a night of merriment, regardless of the occasion, and it was hard to keep the smile off his face. Ned, the younger of the bastards, was already out and dancing with the women. He was a flirt, that one, but Gendry thought it harmless. One of them should have fun, he thought. 

He grinned when women started throwing looks his way as he sat next to Jon. “If every woman does not end this night in love with you, then I’m a sore judge of character,” he teased, laughing when Jon gave him a shove hard enough to push him off the bench. 

Jon was exceedingly shy, blushing like a maiden at the sight of any girl who asked for a dance. Gendry didn’t consider himself that much better, but at least only his ears went red now and then. 

Then Renly plopped down on his other side with a grin. “Hello boys,” he greeted. “Ready for a show?” 

They chatted for a while before the noise in the hall dimmed, and Renly jerked his head at the entrance. Gendry turned to see three people standing under the archway – two ladies and a gentleman.

Renly leaned closer to whisper as they began walking down the length of the hall. “That’s her. The flame-haired one in the middle. Sansa Stark. To the left, her eldest brother.”

“And the miserable looking-girl on the right?” He inquired.

“Younger sister. Arya Stark. They say she’s heir to Winterfell and half the surrounding lands.”

“No doubt the miserable half.”

The girl did appear quite severe, though for what reason, Gendry couldn’t fathom. With her hair pulled back into a tight knot and her shoulders set squarely, she surveyed the room with narrowed eyes. Then her gaze landed on him, and his breath caught at her pearl grey orbs before Renly kicked him and he hastily inclined his head, averting his eyes and missing the slight grin that pulled at one corner of her mouth.

When the three newcomers had reached the head of the room, the music started up again, and the conversation and dancing were renewed. Marianne yanked Gendry and Jon to their feet, tugging them along after her for introductions. Gendry kept his eyes down as Marianne tittered on about this and that – she often came across as overly enthusiastic, but he didn’t mind. She never pretended to be anyone but herself, and for that he loved her.

Finally, Marianne turned to them, introducing them by their full names – Jon Snow and Gendry Waters. Gendry tried not to wince at the obvious announcement that yes, they were bastards, but then it wasn’t much of a secret. He and Jon bowed accordingly as the two sisters dipped into a curtsy. Their oldest brother only looked at them, briefly nodding.

Sansa gave them both a bright smile that seemed so genuine both he and Jon were caught slightly off guard. Her sister stood steely as ever next to her as she peppered Jon with questions, and after a nudge from Gendry, Jon began to reply hesitantly. Gendry looked on with a grin as Sansa tugged him out to dance, his face flushing as red as her hair. 

The cheery music giving him a boost of courage (or idiocy), he turned to her sister. “Do you dance, Lady Stark?”

“Not if I can help it,” came her curt reply, and he leaned back in surprise. Brushing off the sting of her words, he eased into the crowd, keeping an eye on Jon – who, he noted, couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from Sansa - as he made his way to sit by Renly. 

“How nice of you to join me,” Renly drawled, raising his glass with a grin. “Shall we?”

They snuck around to the back of the hall, creeping along the side wall to sit under the rafters where they could watch the whole room in peace. Renly’s easy way helped the time pass, and their conversation only stopped when the sisters came into view.

“What a lovely place. Have you ever seen so many people?” Sansa gushed.

“You were dancing with the only agreeable one in the room,” Arya replied. Though he absently noted how tired she sounded, Gendry couldn’t help but bristle slightly.

Sansa pursed her lips. “What about the other one, his brother?”

“Barely tolerable, to say the least.”

They moved on as Gendry sat silently next to Renly. At times like these, he wasn’t sure why he expected anything more from nobles.

“Don’t listen to her. If all goes well our Jon will be off and wed and that little beast will be headed back North.”

Gendry shrugged, pushing down his resentment. “Doesn’t matter. I wouldn’t want her miserable half of the North anyways.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later, Jon had dragged him back into the group as he spoke with Sansa again – they’d danced twice now, Gendry had noticed, and would possibly go again if Marianne had anything to do with it.

“I do wish I read more,” Sansa was saying. “There’s such a large library but I feel like I never get to use it properly.”

“I raided the shelves we had at … at the orphanage,” Jon responded. “Davos gave me whatever he could find.”

“Except the poetry,” Gendry added with a grin.

“I’m afraid I’m not particularly fond of poetry,” Jon admitted sheepishly.

“Our Jon was given some rather sweet poetry by another young lady some years ago,” Marianne cut in brightly, before her face fell. “Though, it didn’t quite turn out as we’d hoped. But she did write some pretty verses.”

Gendry tried to save the conversation. “And I’m quite sure that’s what put an end to it. I wonder who discovered the power of poetry in driving away love.”

Sansa chuckled, putting a hand to her mouth as Jon also laughed, gratefully nodding at Gendry.

“I thought poetry was the food of love,” Arya said suddenly, her eyes finding his.

Though surprised, he answered easily. “Of a fine stout love, it may. But I’m afraid one poor sonnet will kill it dead.”

“Then what do you recommend?” She asked curiously, her eyes darting away briefly before returning to his face. “To encourage affection?”

“Dancing.” Gendry smiled. “Even if one’s partner is barely tolerable.”

Arya’s eyes widened, shortly followed by redness creeping into her cheeks. Satisfied, Gendry raised an eyebrow before nodding to both Sansa and Jon and escaping.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Though their room was silent that night, neither he nor Jon were asleep. 

“She seemed to like you.”

“Maybe.”

“Jon, she spent half the night dancing with you and was watching you for the rest of it.” 

The sheets rustled as Jon turned over.

“Perhaps. Though I’m sorry about her sister.”

“Lady Arya? Don’t be. I’m certain I’ll never see her again.”


End file.
